The present invention generally relates to label and outsert application systems, and relates in particular to outsert application systems that continuously apply outserts to articles such as bottles or containers.
As used herein, the term outsert generally means any single sheet, folded or booklet bound article that is intended to be applied to an article such as a container for providing information to a purchaser of the article. For example, the information may include dosage information for a medication contained within the container, or conflicting medication information for a medication, or medication conditions requirements information etc.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,425,181 discloses an outsert application system that applies outserts to containers on a conveyor via a pickup arm that moves into contact with an end of a magazine of outserts, then rotates toward a container, and then urges toward a container thereby applying the outsert to a container. The pickup arm then moves back to a home position, and is then ready to move the next outsert to a new container. The system also provides that multiple outserts (e.g., 3) may be applied to a set of containers at a time by momentarily stopping the movement of the containers. Such stoppage of the movement of the containers, however, is undesirable in certain applications as it requires stopping the movement of the containers for short periods of time while the set of outserts are applied to the containers.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,853,063 discloses an outsert application system that includes a spring loaded hopper that provides outserts for sequential contact with an adhesive transfer tape web. The sequentially adhered outserts are then applied to containers on a conveyor belt via a peel plate. Such an outsert applications system may be suitable for use with relatively thin outserts, but is not however, likely to be able to function properly with rather thick outserts that may not peel efficiently and consistently off of the peel plate onto containers.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,213,185 discloses a system for applying outserts to containers that includes a conveyor belt that provides outserts individually to a feeder device, wherein the feeder device applies the outserts individually to containers that each include a strip of previously applied glue. The feeder device includes a pair of rotationally oppositely driven feed screws that capture a single outsert between the feed screws such that each outsert is urged individually toward a container. Any modification, however, of such a system to accommodate different sizes of outserts would require replacing at least the feed screws to accommodate the different sizes of the outserts.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,398,871 discloses a rotary outsert application system that includes a star wheel having a set of outsert support plates for applying outserts to containers. The system appears to require however, different star wheel assemblies for outserts of different sizes such as outserts having different widths.
Certain commercial outsert application systems, such as the TOPSERTER II and SIDEWINDER glue and apply outserting machines sold by MGS Machine Corporation of Maple Grove, Minn., include a rotary pick and place mechanism that employs multiple vacuum arms that move in generally cycloidal motions. Such motion of the vacuum arms, however, do not match the speed and direction of the outserts with the bottles, and may not effectively process rather thick outserts. Other prior outsert application systems, such as the NJM Model 270 Literature Applying Machine previously sold by NJM Packaging, Inc. of Lebanon, N.H., involved transferring outserts from a J-chute to a linearly and rotationally actuatable turret via an intermediate spindle arm, and then from the turret to bottles. Such a system, therefore, involved the multiple steps of transferring outserts among two devices between the J-chute and the bottles. The use of such an intermediate transfer assembly however, adds complexity and cost.
There remains a need, therefore, for a system for continuously applying outserts to articles that efficiently switches between applying outserts of different thicknesses and widths.